My side of the family has reunions ever other year. We've been rotating who is in charge of it from the oldest to the youngest...I am the 5th of 6 kids and never thought it would get to me, but it did!! And since I left Katie's reunion I knew that I was going to have the reunion up in Canada...in my stomping grounds. Everyone agreed that would be fun and agreed to come up, so we started planning on the ride home! We randomly planned for the next 2 years, thinking of ideas I wanted and the for sure things I wanted to show them all. I wanted them to experience Southern Alberta. We planned, we prepared, they came, WE HAD AN AMAZING TIME, and then they left. Now it feels surreal...like it never happened. Like a dream. So here is the visual report of our 4 days of bliss with 41 people and 1 in the womb! And yes, this is a lot of pictures...BUT relatively speaking it's not...because I weeded through 746 pictures for this post...and that was just the FIRST TWO DAYS!! (Dad compiled EVERYONE'S pictures for the whole reunion!)
I wanted to get a picture of all the cars that were there. This is missing my parent's car and ours is in the garage. Now that's a caravan! 2 of my sisters even travelled husbandless! Them and their 12 kids combined. Party! Anyway, everyone arrived Saturday night. My parents stayed at Justin's parent's place and we had all my sisters with their families at our place (total that was 6 adults and 21 children!). Chris's family stayed in 2 hotel rooms at one of our 5-star Cardston Motels. ;)
This picture just makes me happy. :) MY sisters are in MY kitchen working with ME! I miss them so much and really wish we could all live closer to each other. I have tried so hard to get them to want to move up here. Free health care. Great weather...wait. They're from California. Dang.
We made a traditional Southern Alberta Sunday feast. Alberta roast beef. ;)
Cousins hanging out and bonding. All at MY house! We always are the ones to go visit them! No one has been up here except my parents and my sister Angie (when I lived in Edmonton), and my brother Cody and his wife Jessica. It was just awesome to have them in my space.
Grandpa's always a big help. :)
Addie happy that her cousins are around too! And even more happy to be eating garden strawberries!
Helping a Cousin out. :) Cammer know's baseball.
So cute. :) 3 different families represented here. :)
Neah and Nani chillin'.
Love this!!!! Yummo! They all love Alberta Beef.
After the dinner we got them all packed up and organized and took them on a tour of our tiny town of Cardston. We saw all the important sites...you know, the schools, golf course, the garden, Justin's clinic, the hospital, the Fay Wray Fountain...and the temple!! One thing I HAVE to record was how HORRIBLE the mosquitoes were at that time. We had a bunch of rain in June and then it got nice and hot so we had perfect conditions for a mosquito infestation. Pretty sure everyone in this picture is saying/thinking "Hurry up! I'm getting eaten alive!" I told everyone to bring repellant! After the Grand Tour we headed to...
...the Payne Lake Lodge!!!!
This place was so perfect place for us!! Every family had enough room and their own space. It had a big kitchen, a huge deck, and an amazing view! Plus it had an awesome pond in front with paddle boats and canoes (and leeches) to keep everyone entertained when we weren't out and about doing things.
DAY 2--WATERTON
When planning the reunion I was pretty nervous about the weather. Southern Alberta is crazy! All year! Its not just the long frigid winters, but summer can be crazy too! I do have to say that it is usually beautiful in the summer, but there are often crazy rain/hail/wind storms that could potentially ruin my reunion plans, so I was watching the weather like a hawk, on pins and needles and keep our plans flexible. Let me just say that the Lord knows what a 32 week pregnant mom of 4 planning a reunion for her foreign family of 35 needs and can handle...we got PERFECT weather for each of our activities to go as planned! Blessings from Heaven!
First on the list was a hike up Bear's Hump. Katie found a great way to carry Cannon up! In her hiking purse. ;) Everyone went except me, Mom and 2 three year-olds. I wish I could have gone, and I probably could have, but I was pretty pregnant and my feet were swollen enough and I was exhausted with all the reunion prep! Justin was a huge help, but right before our reunion he had his week of scout camp. He arrived home the morning that everyone else arrived as well! So I was running around getting all the food and stuff we'd need for our adventures since we wouldn't be near a store during the whole reunion. Needless to say I was tired. BUT again, another blessing, my kids were angels in Costco and the other stores. They were actually helpful! It wasn't even really that stressful! Again, tender mercies from the Lord.
My wonderful family...hiking in CANADA!
They all made it!!!
Addie's treat at the top. Justin said she walked a fair bit of the way! Even a year ago she was hiking like a champ.
What a view!
Another awesome thing about this reunion is that we invited my dad's brother, Bob Crippen. Uncle Bob lives in Ontario! I thought it only fitting that we invite our Canadian Crippens. :) My cousin Marc drove our from B.C. I guess I'm not alone. I DO have family in Canada! It was so great to have them.
Ha ha! Cannon and Westan enjoying their snacks at the top. ;)
I love this picture Leneah!! You are "on top of the world lookin' down on creation..."
Here was my view. These two cuties. ALL of my kids (except for my wombie) were up on bears hump so I got to be Auntie for an hour. These girls are HILARIOUS together! Their cute little conversations in their cute little voices. :)
We hung out at Waterton Lake and threw rocks in. See how still the water is?! You don't get that very often here in Waterton! It was warm with a slight breeze. Perfect for hiking and rock throwing!!!
I had to show the girls the cool hollow tree. My kids love that thing.
And little Miss Emery walking and saying "Watch this throw!" then sticking her hip our and flicking her wrist to throw the rock like the girliest girl. She is so funny.
After the treacherous hike we all met up again. Everyone was accounted for...except Squeakers...Dallin's penguin stuffed animal. Amazingly enough I got a call 3 weeks later from Waterton and THEY FOUND SQUEAKERS!!!
The caravan again...we met in this cute camp kitchen (I love the color of these!) to feed the hungry masses. :) We made a fire and had a traditional Canadian weiner roast. Then the crazy Americans wanted to wade/swim in Waterton Lake!?
David was one of the many to join the Polar Bear Club the day. That meant immersion in Waterton Lake. Brrr....
All the members of the Polar Bear Club...plus we are missing a few. Yes, all my kids are there. Gotta love Zach's look of triumph. Peer pressure can do amazing things.
Cute picture ladies!
Oh Malia. :) You are pretty cute!
And they all needed a Cameron Falls picture! The Southwicks
The Olsingchs
And Us Lows... Hopoates? Where are you?
Next we took them up to my FAVORITE place in Waterton, Red Rock Canyon! This was the highlight of the day I'd say! On the way up I think we saw a total of 4 bears! That was Sherelda's wish granted. Blessings!
And the Polar Bear Club challenges continued...they found a deep spot to play in! Glacial runoff...brrr! Crazies!
(everyone but 3 people in this picture are mine! So awesome)
These guys had fun building a dam. That water was painfully cold. After a few seconds your feet just burn! I don't know how they stayed in in for so long!
One of the coolest things was the butterflies! Beautiful yellow butterflies that would just let you pick them up!
Addie was so tired...she didn't sleep well this reunion...that was another stressful thing, so by this point she was just wired, going crazy, running in circles on slippery, mossy wet jagged rocks. We took turns holding her hand. Wouldn't it be funny if that baby was mine and I was that pregnant! Nope.
Love this one...the two that started this all!
That night we went home to a delicious spaghetti dinner and a very large Family Home Evening. If we lived in a commune this could be EVERY Monday night! The four oldest grandkids taught the lesson and did a lovely job. What a great crew.
Then it was cookies and bedtime!
(yeah right! that came a few hours later...Party on!)
This was the preferred evening activity. Douse yourself in bug spray and play in the boats!
So much fun!
DAY 1 and 2= SUCCESS!!!
